Lionel Messi [AFP=Yonhap News]

At 39, the "God of Football" Lionel Messi is set to grace the World Cup final stage once again.

As a member of the Argentina national team, Messi had often struggled in major tournaments until 2021, when he finally brought home a championship trophy for his country at the Copa América.

When he set out to challenge for the World Cup title in Qatar in 2022 during his mid-30s, the term "Last Dance" was attached to his journey.

By winning the World Cup on what was thought to be his "final" stage, the "myth" of Messi was completed.

However, Messi has embarked on another quest for global supremacy at the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, four years later.

Approaching his 40s, Messi is slower than he was four years ago, and his movement on the pitch has further diminished.

Messi and teammates celebrating [Reuters=Yonhap News]

Yet, his command over the game remains unchanged. Even while walking for half of his total distance covered, he continues to deliver decisive plays that secure victories for his team.

In the semifinal match against England held on the 16th (Korea time), Messi shone brilliantly once again.

Every time he touched the ball, several England players swarmed him, attempting to steal possession or block his passing lanes.

Despite this, Messi attempted 54 passes, successfully connecting 43 of them (80%) and creating four goal-scoring opportunities.

Even amidst the intense physical marking, he attempted 11 dribbles, succeeding in 9 of them (82%).

He led both teams in both goal-scoring chances created and successful dribbles.

Lionel Messi [AP=Yonhap News]

The outcome was also decided by Messi's feet.

In the 40th minute of the second half, Messi grabbed the ball on the right side and, drawing the defenders to him, passed it to Enzo Fernández in the center. Fernández, who found space thanks to Messi’s gravity, unleashed a powerful mid-range shot to equalize the game at 1-1.

In second-half stoppage time, Messi delivered an accurate cross to the forehead of Lautaro Martínez, leading to the winning header that completed the comeback. Argentina secured a 2-1 victory and clinched their spot in the final.

Messi rewrote major World Cup records yet again on this day.

He extended his own record for most career World Cup assists to 12. He had surpassed the legendary Argentine late great Diego Maradona (8 assists) after providing the first goal in the 3-2 comeback win against Egypt in the Round of 16, and added another assist in the quarterfinal match against Switzerland.

He also pushed his record for the most total goal contributions to 33 (21 goals, 12 assists). His record for most World Cup appearances also increased to 33 matches. He has maintained an average of one goal contribution per game.

Messi's record for consecutive World Cup matches with a goal contribution, which began at the Qatar tournament, was extended to 11 games.

Having already reached uncharted territory four years ago, Messi is now taking step after step into dizzying heights, where human footsteps seem increasingly difficult to reach.

Argentina's Messi reaching the final [AP=Yonhap News]

If Messi wins this tournament, the debate over the "Greatest of All Time" (GOAT) in football is likely to come to an end. Who is the greatest player of all time among Messi, Maradona, and Brazil’s Pelé has been an age-old debate in the football world.

Both Pelé and Maradona appeared in two World Cup finals.

Maradona won the World Cup once, while Pelé won it three times in total, though he did not play in the final of one of those tournaments (Chile 1962) due to injury.

The final match against Spain, which may be Messi's "truly final World Cup match," will be held on the 20th at 4:00 AM at the New York New Jersey Stadium in the United States.

This will be the first time Messi faces Spain in a World Cup.

Spain is a special country for Messi, practically his "second home." He moved to Barcelona with his family at age 13, lived there for 20 years, and left for Paris, France, in 2021.

He holds a Spanish passport and may eventually settle back in Castelldefels, a quiet beach town near Barcelona where he lived for a long time.

Messi currently leads the tournament with 8 goals, tied with France’s Kylian Mbappé. If he surpasses Mbappé, he will receive his first-ever World Cup Golden Boot (top scorer award).

Messi is also challenging for a record-breaking Golden Ball, awarded to the tournament's best player. He previously won this award in Brazil (2014) and at the last tournament in Qatar. Messi is the only player to have won the Golden Ball more than once. [Yonhap News]